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Oliviana Tate
"Stormwind abandoned us, and this I do not forget. My concern is for the well-being of the people of Duskwood. Everything else is secondary." '' Lady Oliviana in a letter to her cousin, regarding her decision to take her family's seat in the House of Nobles. 'OLIVIANA TATE' '''Lady Oliviana Tate '(born April 17, 13 L.C)' '''is the matriarch of the House of Tate, the 1st Marquise Brightriver, and the 13th Baroness Riverwall. For roughly four hundred years, her family has held lands near the borders of Westfall and Elwynn, though after the fall of Raven Hill, the Tates relocated to Darkshire until she reclaimed their lands. She later extended her territory to include the Baronies of Brightwater, Rivergrove, and Eventide, thereby creating Brightriver March. She is a mage priest who specializes in pyromancy and transmutation, although her skills are not as great as other mages of her age due to her studies being hindered by her family. They were very traditional, and wished Oliviana to remain in Duskwood, devoting herself to a husband and family of her own. Her parents were also bitter and resentful of Stormwind and the Alliance, due to the perceived abandonment of Duskwood following the curse unleashed by the discovery of the Scythe of Elune. This lead to Lord Geoffrey forbidding his daughter to travel to any of the major institutes of magical learning. Originally, Oliviana had a more generous attitude towards Stormwind, but it has hardened over the past few years. Oliviana's nobility shines through in her manner of speaking and in her attire, though on the whole she cares little for it. She appreciates and enjoys the relative freedom her title affords her, though she despises formality, and would much rather be called Livi than Lady Oliviana. Her unofficial motto is 'noblemen are not always noble men', and she would rather be judged on her merits than her bloodline. She has little respect for those nobles who seek to improve their own station at the expense of the vulnerable. 'Description' '"A burst of flame in the darkness; blood-red and bold."' '''Elegant: '''this is the word best used to describe Oliviana. Clad in the finest attire money can buy, or her own skill create, she is always dressed impeccably, favouring robes and dresses fortified by enchantments. She is not a very tall woman, but the tilt of her chin and the way she carries herself seem to lend her a few extra inches of height. Her hair, a vibrant shade of red, is swept up in a bun, her fringe framing a pale, heart-shaped face. Her brown eyes are expressive, sparkling with warmth and, more often than not, a hint of mischief. Personality wise, Livi is bold and vibrant, the art of pyromancy well-suited to her. She can be very stubborn and defiant, although this is becoming less apparent as she grows in life experience. She was very reckless in her youth, a trait that she is only now learning to keep in check. She is playful, but can be quick to anger. While her anger never lasts long, she is not a very forgiving woman and can bear a grudge, especially if harm has been done to those she cares about. While angry, she can say or do things she later regrets, and be can be harsh or antagonistic. Her worst fault is a tendency to focus on her own problems or situation at the expense of those suffered by the people around her. Underneath it all, however, she is basically a decent woman who tries to do the right thing, and strives to act with kindness. 'History' Oliviana Elizabeth Tate is the youngest child of Lord Geoffrey and Lady Marcena Tate. She has an elder brother, Darian. She was a young child when Raven Hill and the surrounding areas fell to the undead, forcing her family to flee to the town now called Darkshire. She can still remember what Duskwood looked like before it was cursed to perpetual twilight, and she dreams of the day the curse is lifted. She was betrothed not long after her birth to James Penderghast, the son of one of her father's friends. Oliviana detested James as he was a dishonourable man who did little to improve the lives of anyone other than himself. James was killed by feral worgen the week before the wedding was scheduled to take place, something that Oliviana viewed as 'no great loss to anyone but his family'. Growing up, she witnessed her family wasting gold on frivolous items while their people struggled to survive. Oliviana took it upon herself to make sure that at least some of her family's money went where it really needed to go - the poor, starving, and homeless. As she gained some knowledge of magic from her private instructors, she also ventured out to take care of some of the dangers constantly threatening Duskwood; the undead, feral worgen, and vicious wildlife. Although dangerous, she firmly believed that her people needed to see that they had someone fighting for them, that not all of the Tates were ignorant of their suffering. She was drawn to the art of pyromancy because she saw what something as simple as fire offered to her community - light, warmth, comfort. She grew up convinced that Duskwood could be reclaimed. Oliviana desperately wanted to study at the Mage's Tower in Stormwind, but her father forbade it, forcing her to rely on private tutors and books. When Lord Geoffrey died, she saw an opportunity to leave, but her brother Darian also refused her requests. Taking a risk, she 'accidentally' set fire to Darian's study in order to demonstrate that she needed professional training. Her plan succeeded, and within weeks she was on her way to Stormwind, excited about forging a life that wasn't limited to marriage and motherhood. She adored living in Stormwind, though she would often return home for visits. Her skill in magic improved dramatically, and she was close to the one family member she truly liked, her cousin Lady Isabel Ruxton. She made friends, had adventures, and fell in love. Sir Valemick Ceylon was to become the great love of Oliviana's life and they were blissfully happy together, announcing their engagement not long after meeting. But the happiness was not to last. Her beloved Vale was deployed to Draenor, and Oliviana found herself in a very dangerous situation. Despite numerous warnings from Isabel and her friends, Oliviana became determined to defeat Giovoni Darkmoore, a man in the service of an Old God. He was determined to bend her to his will, in order to find a book that her father had kept hidden for years - a copy of the research conducted by the necromancer Morbent Fel. During this time, Vale returned briefly, telling her that he had been held captive, and that many of his men had been killed. Oliviana warned him about Darkmoore, and Vale returned to Draenor worried about what she had gotten involved in. She was not to see him again for a long time. She also met a night elf druid who helped her defend Riverwall from the undead, a man who fascinated her, and on whom she developed a crush, her feelings confusing her greatly. In order to obtain what he wanted, Darkmoore cast a spell on Oliviana, manipulating her memory so that she forgot Vale, and thought that Darkmoore was her beloved, not Vale. This spell was eventually broken, Isabel protecting Oliviana when Gio attempted to destroy her. To this day, she still has some problems with her memory, and is dangerously vulnerable to any type of mental manipulation or control. Feeling as if she had betrayed Vale, and that she was unworthy of his love, Oliviana broke the engagement, driven also by a feeling that he had not been there for her when she needed him most. What followed was the darkest period of Oliviana's life; Darkmoore used the information he had gained from her to track down Fel's research, killing her mother and brother, and half their household. She was now the head of her House, a responsibility she was unprepared for, especially when she discovered her family had been financially dependent on her uncle. She confessed her feelings to the druid, only to have them firmly rejected. She soon rebounded, far too quickly to be wise - a Light-Weaver, by the name of Adimus Thaymond grabbing her attention. Her cousin, Isabel, who had also developed feelings for Adimus, was believed to be dead after the ship she was on capsized just outside of Stormwind Harbour. Her friends, her support network, were called away to serve in Draenor, or simply disappeared. The relationship between Oliviana and Adimus ended badly; her recent experiences causing her already bossy nature to become even more controlling, her way of trying to protect herself. She was also unable to shake the belief that Adimus was really in love with her cousin. Realizing what she was doing, Oliviana tried to end the relationship, effectively issuing Adimus an ultimatum; her love or his duty to the light. He chose her, but it was a choice he could not live with. Adimus left Oliviana with no more than a note; an act she could not forgive. The end of that relationship was a breaking point for Oliviana. She was devastated, so overwhelmed with pain and anger that for days she could barely function. It was in this darkest hour that Oliviana saw with painful clarity all of the mistakes she had made in her life, and what she needed to do. Realizing that she was not cut out for the responsibility of leadership, she sold her lands to her uncle and moved permanently to Stormwind. If she was to be any use to her homeland, she knew that she needed to improve her skills and become more powerful. She made attempts to repair her relationship with her cousin, even witnessing Isabel's marriage to Adimus. She began to rebuild her faith, seeking to better herself through service to others. Oliviana felt as if she had survived a firestorm and ,like a phoenix, was reborn from the ashes... She joined the Silver Hand for a short period of time before moving on to the Lightwardens, where she pursued the path of Wardenship. Oliviana can, more often than not, be found within the walls of the Cathedral, offering a friendly face or shoulder to cry on to all who need it. Having regained her beloved Riverwall, she is doing her best to rebuild the town with the limited resources she has on hand. She later fell pregnant to her former fiance, Sir Valemic Ceylon, and upon learning about the baby, he asked her to renew the engagement that she had so foolishly thrown away. Oliviana was smart enough to accept and not long afterwards, Elaria Tate-Ceylon was born, an event which brought her parents great happiness. Oliviana and Valemic later married but it was not to last. Oliviana will never speak publicly about the reasons why the relationship ended. What followed was a brief marriage to her long-time friend, Glamonor Pureheart, a union that produced a son, Nicholas Tate-Pureheart. Nicholas is twice the blessing to his family, since he almost died before he was even born. Altrek Redblade, leader of the Scarlet Brigade, ordered Ailardan Grenn to kill Oliviana due to a fued with Glamonor. Grenn proceeded to attack her as she stood by her husband's side in the Cathedral. Although aiming his blade at her stomach, Oliviana turned at the last minute and took the dagger in her right side. Thanks to the timely intervention of two healers, both Oliviana and her unborn child survived, although the attack left scars, both physical and mental. The reason for the attack was not fully understood until Grenn's wife came to visit Livi with Glamonor and explained everything after hearing that the couple were separating Since that night, Oliviana has developed a hatred for all those who wear the tabard of the Scarlet Crusade. The Reclamation of Riverwall In 37 L.C, a series of rumours reached Oliviana at her then home of Darkshire. Hunters came to speak to her about seeing strange lights among the ruins of Riverwall's villages and an investigation by Oliviana's steward revealed distressing facts: those few hardy families who had stubbornly clung to their homes had vanished. Before she could investigate further, her own home came under attack.... It is not entirely sure what exactly happened in the Tate home that night as the witnesses were all either killed or too traumatized to remember. Oliviana herself recalled a woman accosting her in her study and attempting to force her to sign over the deeds to her lands. She then heard the terrified wailing of her infant daughter, Elaria. Rushing to investigate, she found men attempting to sedate her child. The next morning, Oliviana sought medical aid for Elaria from Bishop Popohnia. She did not know how much time had passed since the attempted abduction, only that something dreadful had taken place in her home. The true extent of what happened would not be revealed until much later. Knowing that the explanation for all these mysteries could only be found in Riverwall, Oliviana decided that the time had come for her to launch a bid to reclaim her lands once and for all. She called for aid from her colleagues among the Lightwardens, and, with her cousin Isabel and then-husband Valemic at her side, Oliviana lead the small force into the dark forests of her homeland. What she found was a betrayal on several fronts; her former tutor, Nevarra Clark had turned to necromancy in an effort to gain more power and had also joined forces with Justinia Gallen, Riverwall's former parish priest. Gallen, a long-term friend of the Tate family, was determined to either oust Livi from Riverwall, or bend the Baroness to her will. After two long, hard-fought battles, Nevarra and Justinia were defeated, but as she lay dying, Justinia revealed the true extent of her assault on Livi. During the attempted abduction of Oliviana and her daughter, the priestess had implanted several hypnotic suggestions deep within Oliviana's subconscious, effectively turning the noblewoman into a sleeper agent of Justinia's. Before she died, Justinia turned Oliviana against her own comrades... The Lightwardens were forced to take arms against Oliviana, finally rendering her unconscious after a lengthy fight. After being in a coma for a few days, Oliviana woke to find that Riverwall was hers once more, although since that day her memory of that period of her life is somewhat fuzzy. The Veiled Hand/Massacre at Darkshire During the conflict on the Broken Isles, word reached Oliviana that tragedy had befallen the people of Darkshire. Sending an agent to investigate, she learned that what happened there was far worse than she could have possibly imagined. Forgetting their oaths to the people, Lord Ello Ebonlocke and his daughter Althea, along with the Council of Darkshire and most of the Nightwatch, had betrayed Duskwood and joined the Veiled Hand cult, a group dedicated to the Legion. Further investigation revealed that a significant percentage of Darkshire's populations had either been corrupted by the cult or slaughtered. The news of her former friends' betrayal was devastating to Oliviana, but she knew what needed to be done. Upon learning that the Ebonlocke's and most of the Hand's members had already been killed or brought to justice (during the rogue order hall missions), she focused her attention on tracking down those members that had escaped, and on helping the survivors rebuild their lives. The loss of The Nightwatch was a blow to the region, and Oliviana, along with the rest of Duskwood's nobility, have done what they can to ensure their people's safety using their own militias. While those living outside of Duskwood may have been taken by surprise at the Ebonlocke's actions, Oliviana understood all too well why it happened. Hope needs to fuel to survive; after spending over a decade waiting for official aid from the Kingdom they loyally served, the Ebonlocke's hope simply burnt out, leaving them desperate for a solution to their problems and leaving them vulnerable to the manipulation of their enemies. It is not a result she approved of, or agreed with, but she is not blind to what caused it. The cult's presence in Duskwood has served enhanced Oliviana's dislike of certain magics, such as fel, and her belief that they should be kept out of her homeland lest they do further damage. Currently: "I will recall my troops to our borders. I am done with being disappointed by Stormwind." Lady Oliviana to Lord Vincent Ravenwing. Currently Oliviana is a member of the Stormwind House of Nobles, although her relationship with several of her colleagues is strained due to what she perceives as a ill-advised obsession with matters of procedure, petty power plays, and the inability to truly work with or for the people of Stormwind, especially the areas that need it the most. Although she is open-minded and welcoming of all people, she also finds the growing number of foreign born lords temporal to be worrying, fearing that divided loyalties and conflicts of interest will see the people of Stormwind lose out. Because of this, her attendance at HoN sessions is scanty, preferring to work directly with people instead. She feels she achieves more that way. She also gained the title of Marquise Brightriver after petitioning King Anduin for the deeds to the abandoned Barony of Brightwater, which borders Riverwall to the east. She later reclaimed land that her parents sold before her birth, forming the Barony of Rivergrove, and gained control of a fourth Barony, Eventide, which had been lying in ruins since the fall of Raven Hill. Riverwall, Rivergrove, Eventide, and Brightwater thus form Brightriver March, a stretch of land dominating north-west Duskwood. She is trying hard not to become as isolationist as her father and brother were before her, but she is finding it increasingly difficult. Friends, family, and allies 'Elaria Tate-Ceylon and Nicholas Tate-Pureheart' - Oliviana's children and the most precious people in her life. She often has them with her when on business in Stormwind, reluctant to be away from them for lengthy periods, except for when they are with their father. 'Seasen Roe' - Oliviana's half-sister, the result of an affair between Geoffrey Tate and Natalie Wright, the nanny to his legitimate children. As a condition to his agreeing to take care of and financially support Seasen, Natalie was forbidden to have contact with her daughter, and the child was hidden from Geoffrey's family, especially his jealous wife, Marcena. As a result, it was not until after Geoffrey, Marcena, and Darian Tate died that Oliviana learned that she had a sister. Seeing that her sister possessed the famous Tate temper, Oliviana suggested that Seasen travel to Pandaria and undergo training with the monks. She also agreed to keep their family connection quiet until Seasen was comfortable with it becoming public knowledge. Oliviana is protective of her younger sister, and wants her to have the freedoms that Oliviana was denied as a child. 'Isabel Ruxton Azurewing - 'For the longest time, Oliviana considered her cousin Isabel to be the only one in her family worth respecting. As the Tates became isolationists after the curse blighted their homeland, it was through visits with Isabel that Oliviana had any contact outside of Duskwood at all. More like sisters than cousins, Isabel has been the one constant in her life. They have endured many hardships together, and Oliviana herself will be the first to admit that without Isabel, she probably would not be alive today. Oliviana dotes on Isabel's children, especially her son, Karran, and is also good friends with Isabel's husband, Chandresh. Her relationship with Isabel's father, George Ruxton, has been a strained one. Oliviana recognizes the support and love her uncle has given her, but resents the times she had been financially dependent on him and the power he had over her as her guardian. Although she would be horrified by the thought, she is more like Uncle George than she realizes. 'Glamonor Pureheart - 'Glam is one of the first friends that Oliviana made when she moved to Stormwind. Their friendship eventually grew to love and the pair married and had son Nicholas together. Glamonor also raised Oliviana's daughter, Elaria, as his own. While the marriage did not last, their friendship remained, and they continue to raise the children together and support one another. Although neither regret that they got married, in hindsight they both agree that they made better friends than spouses. 'An'lyen Rosefeather - '''To this day, Oliviana has no idea how she and the half-elf former pirate came to be such good friends considering the rather contentious way they met, but now she could not imagine her life without Ann in it. To her, Ann represents the fact that no matter one's past or circumstances, people can change for the better without sacrificing that which makes them unique. Also, pirates make great drinking buddies. Trivia * Oliviana never uses contractions in her speech or writing (e.g can't, don't, won't). This is because her mother believed them to be "a sign of a weak and lazy mind." * She hates the Scarlet Crusade and anyone who wears their tabard is met with instant contempt. * She is currently teaching her friend Ida Lashmanger, and her boyfriend Rainpath Wayfall, to read and write. * Oliviana loves tea and baked goods, especially chocolate cake. Her favourite tea blends are Spiced Black Tea, and Cherry Petal tea. * Although she is not vindictive, she does not forget those people who have angered or hurt her or her friends and family. Chances are she won't let you forget either. * Seriously, she really hates Scarlet Crusaders. * Oliviana plays the harp well and is also a skilled tailor and enchanter. * Although she detests unnecessary formality, she appreciates good manners. * If she ever swears, she is either really emotional or looking to provoke a reaction. * Did I mention that Oliviana hates the Scarlets? Category:Human Category:Characters Category:Silver Hand Chapter Category:Lightwardens Category:Stormwind House of Nobles Category:Stormwind Peerage Category:Stormwindian